The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-08-24
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Natures Manures.

The rccuperalion of soils by natures
means is not swift process, The
formation of the soil originally re-
quired ages of time. First the rock
must be broken down and disinteg-
rated. Then plants must gradually
absorb such portions as are soluble in
water or else present i'll the atmos.
pherc, and the plants by decay are re-
duced to humus. Then the real work
of soil building commences in earnest.
So important is this humus in the soil
that the average soil from which two
inches in thickness is removed remains
for long period infertlle, unless
specially treated. The reason of this
is, the humus in soils, unless mixed
artificially with the under soil, re-
mains next to the surface.
The principal offices of humus are,
it absorbs and retains moisture, fur
nishes carbon and the mineral elements
in decayed vegetation in soluble
state of plants. and especially is the
prime agent in carrying on chemical
transformations in the soil. evolving,
through heat and moisture. carbon,
oxygen and hydrogen, and also nitro
gen in a soluble form for the use of
plants. Hence the value of grass and
forage plants they may be fed to ami
mails or turned under, enriching the
soil by their constituents. or by being
plowed under. Thus in all long culti-
waited soils the humus is intimately
mixed with the soil to the depth of
blowing, while in soils never plowed,
as in woodland, the humus, until
thoroughly decayed,. remains as the
top layer of the soil to. greater or
less depth, according to the amount
annually deposited.
Very few farms make sufficient ma
nure from the animals fed to properly
manure the soil. unless stocked to its
full capacity, and then only when
great care is taken to save and make
manure with all its constituents intact.
This is laborious work, and costly as
we'll. Hence the utility and economy
of blowing under sward and other
green crops, rs part of the rotation
of the soil. By this means the whole
value of the crop is returned to the soil.
while in the feeding of animals only
minor part is so returned. Hence,
again, as stated lately by us, the value
of covered fallows, rather than of naked
ones, when fallow is considered alb
solutely necessary.
The more advanced farmers of the
country are adverse to allowing land
to be naked at all. except during the
time crop is springing up. When so
allowed, rains wash away the soil, the
sun bake, the land. and aside from the
mechanical disintegration and clean
ing the soil of weeds, little other good
is accomplished.
Some of the best farmers, indeed,
SOW rye and clover among corn at the
last blowing, the same 10 be turned
under at the next blowing, preparatory
to another crop This blowing
under of as many crops as pos
sible is the natural system of manur-
ing and very near to natures
plan, except that the renovation is far
swifter. In this natural system of
manuring, the faster growing q crop
may be, the better the results, and
with modern plows and attachments
for dragging under trash, little diff
Guilty is experienced in covering under
a heavy growth of any plant, even so
rank a grower as the cow-pea of the
South. In no portion of the country
is the covering of the SOIL. especially
in the winter, more necessary, if only
to prevent washing away of the soil,
by which vast quantities of humus may
be eliminated therefrom. Form, Field
and StOcEn1Gn.